Safety First this July 4th Weekend

We would love nothing more than to return to work on Tuesday with no reports of car accidents or injuries. However, July 4th weekend marks one of the most dangerous celebratory weekends on the calendar as Californians simultaneous balance fireworks, grills and partying. It is important to always stay alert of the your surroundings and be in control of every situation. Practice safety first in every July 4th event from the backyard bbq to the fireworks over the Bay.

California Highway Patrol promises that DUI task forces will be out and about all weekend long. Dubbed an “aggressive enforcement blitz,” law enforcement will be stationed all over California seeking to nab inebriated drivers before they injure themselves or someone else.

Alarmingly, across the nation nearly one-half of all deadly crashes on July 4th weekend involve alcohol. CHP adds that it will be showing “zero tolerance” and will arrest any person caught driving with a B.A.C. of .08 or higher. As thousands of innocent victims are injured or killed each year at the hands of drunk drivers, CHP concludes it just is not worth the risk to sit back and hope for the best on one of the biggest party weekends of the year.

In 2009, 410 Americans were killed in traffic collisions on July 4th weekend. Of those, 40% involved alcohol. That same year claimed seven Californian lives and injured 352 more motorists across the state. This number pales in comparison to the over 10,000 deaths nationwide in alcohol-related crashes. Driving while intoxicated is a country-wide epidemic that must be eradicated as quickly as possible.

Summer holidays claim more lives than any other because of the sheer numbers of motorists on the roadways. Not only are local residents out and about but tourists and travelers are also navigating their way to a local tourist destination or retreat. This fact coupled with the increased likelihood of intoxicated driving leads to high numbers of deaths on weekends like Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day.

Ledger Law & Associates would like to wish everyone a safe and happy July 4th weekend. We also want to remind every person getting behind the wheel to never drink and drive. Always designate a driver or bring extra cash for a taxi cab. Many bars and restaurants offer free rides home on holiday weekends so there is absolutely no reason to ever drink and drive. If you are planning to imbibe at a friend’s house, do so responsibly and plan to stay over or arrange a sober ride home.